Railway axle friction snubber assembly

ABSTRACT

A wing-shaped axle spring snubbing device for railway cars wherein a cap is mounted on each axle spring and a friction shoe having a projection projecting out of a bore made in an inside wall of an axle spring guide containing said cap is engaged with a friction surface of an axle box so that, when the axle spring is compressed, the cap may be moved to the friction surface side, thereby the moving force may be transmitted to the friction shoe through the projection and this friction shoe may be frictionally engaged with the friction surface. When the axle spring is compressed, the frictional engagement will occur and therefore a proper damping effect will be given to the up-and-down motion of the axle spring.

United States Patent [191 Shima Dec. 16, 1975 RAILWAY AXLE FRICTION SNUBBER ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: Seisuke Shima, Yamatokoriyama,

Japan 22 Filed: Dec. 19, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 425,949

[52] US. Cl. 105/224 R; 105/197 DP; 267/9 A [51] Int. C1. 360G 15/04; B61F 5/30; B61F 5/38; B61F 5/52 [58] Field of Search 105/218 R, 218 A, 224 R, 105/197 DP; 267/9 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 636,150 12/1963 Belgium 105/224 R 1,452,860 8/1966 France 105/224 R Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Howard Beltran 57 ABSTRACT A wing-shaped axle spring snubbing device for railway cars wherein a cap is mounted on each axle spring and a friction shoe having a projection projecting out of a bore made in an inside wall of an axle spring guide containing said cap is engaged with a friction surface of an axle box so that, when the axle spring is compressed, the cap may be moved to the friction surface side, thereby the moving force may be transmitted to the friction shoe through the projection and this friction shoe may be frictionally engaged with the friction surface.

When the axle spring is compressed, the frictional engagement will occur and therefore a proper damping effect will be given to the up-and-down motion of the axle spring.

11 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,951,547 3/1934 Goodwin 105/224 R 2,355,450 8/1944 Leese 105/224 R 2,539,607 1/1951 -Blattner et a. 105/224 R 2,625,888 1/1953 Blattner ct al. 105/224 R 2,963,987 12/1960 Cottrell 105/224 R 3,517,620 6/1970 Weber 105/224 R X us. Patent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet10f2 3,926,127

U.S. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,926,127

RAILWAY AXLE FRICTION SNUBBER ASSEMBLY This invention relates to axle spring snubbing devices for railway cars.

It has been suggested to improve vertical vibration characteristics by using a coil spring for the bolster spring and using also an oil damper for the snubbing device in the conventional technique. However, in such kind of axle spring snubbing device, not only an oil feed is periodically requiredbut also the maintenance and inspection have been .very troublesome.

Also, there has been already suggested an axle spring snubbing device in a wing-shaped axle box wherein a link mechanisim is provided between a cap of the axle spring and a truck frame. However, therein also the component parts are so many that the assembly and maintenance have been troublesome.

An object of the present invention is to provide an axle spring snubbing device for railway cars wherein the above mentioned defects are eliminated, the maintenance and inspection are little required or are easy and the assembly is simple.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partly verticallysectioned view of a first embodiment of an axle spring snubbing device in a wing type axle box for railway cars according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cap used in the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a friction shoe used in the axle spring snubbing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partly vertically sectioned viewof a second embodiment of the axle spring snubbing device;

FIG. 5 is a partly vertically sectioned view of a third embodiment of the axle spring snubbing device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of only the lower part of an axle spring guide used in the embodiment in FIG. 5 seen as sectioned on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cap used in the embodiment in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a further embodiment of the axle spring snubbing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cap used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view on line 10- 10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view on line 11l1 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view on line 12-12 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the cap 9' of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional view on line 14-14 of FIG. 4.

In the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a wing type axle box supporting an axle of a wheel and 2 is truck frame having friction surfaces 3 on both upper sides of the axle box 1. Axle springs 4 are provided as usual between the axle box 1 and truck frame 2. A bore 6 connecting the axle spring side and axle box side with each other is made in the inside wall of the axle spring guide 5 in the truck frame 2. A projection 8 on the back surface of the friction shoe 7 in contact with the friction surface 3 of the axle box 1 projects on the axle spring side out of the bore 6. By the way, the shape of the friction shoe 7 shown in FIG. 3 is the same as in any embodiment.

A cap 9 of such shape as is substantially cylindrical, is closed on the side toward the axle box but opened on the other and tapered on the open side is mounted on top of the axle spring 4. A bar-shaped projection 10 of a semicircular cross-section is made in a position displaced to the side opposite the friction surface 3 of the axle box 1 from the middle of the upper part, that is, of the closed side of the cap 9. On the other hand, a concave part 11 is made on the inside surface of the axle spring guide 5 corresponding to the projection 10. Said projection 10 is engaged with the concave part 11. A rather outward; projected surface 12 on the axle box friction surface side of the cap 9 is incontact with the end surface of the projection 8 of the friction shoe 7. When the truck frame 2 descends under a load applied to it, the axle spring 4 will be compressed. According to the applicants invention a projection 10 is provided on a cap 9 eccentrically from the center of the cap so that the projection 10 engages with a concave part 11 at the eccentric position. Due to this eccentric engagement, when the truck frame 2 descends, the cap 9 is pressed down against the action of the axle spring 4 in such a manner that it moves downwardly and pivots in the clockwise direction, thereby causing the friction shoe 7 to engage the friction surface 3.

In the following embodiment, the structure is substantially the same except the cap or axle spring guide in the above mentioned embodiment. Therefore, the same reference numerals are attached to the same respective parts.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a proj ection 10 of a cap 9 is pivoted with a pin 13 in a concave part 1 l A similar outwardly projecting surfaace 12 of the cap 9'engages the projection 8 of the friction shoe 7. By the way, in any embodiment, the present invention is provided on only one side of the axle but can be provided also on each side.

Next, in the third embodiment in FIGS. 5 to 7, a hole 11" in the truck frame 2 receives a projection 10'', the outwardly projecting surface 12" engages the the projection of the friction shoe 8, while a pair of projections 15 each having a diagonally upward inclined surface 14 toward the side of the friction surface 3 are made on the outside surfaces on both sides of a cap 9". Inclined parts 16 corresponding to the inclined surfaces 14 are provided on the inside surfaces of an axle spring guide 5".

Further, in the fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a cap 9" has a projection 10" substantially triangular in transverse section and having an inclined surface 17 and a similar projecting surface 12 engages the projection 8 of the friction shoe 7. An inclined concave part 18 corresponding to the inclined surface 17 is made in an axle spring guide sill.

The operation of the present invention is as follows:

In case the truck frame 2 descends under a load applied to it, the axle spring 4 will be applied to the bottom surface of the cap. In this state, first of all, in the first and second embodiments, since the center of the compression spring 4 and the engaging point of the projection l0 and recess 11 are laterally displaced from each other, the cap will rotate toward the axle box with the above mentioned engaging point as a center.

On the other hand, in the third and fourth embodiments, the inclined surfaces 14 and 17 in the axle spring guides will slide along the inclined surfaces 16 and 18, respectively.

In any embodiment, the cap will move toward the friction surface 3 the end surface 12 of the cap will push the end surface of the projection 8 on the friction shoe 7 and therefore the friction shoe 7 will be pushed against the friction surface 3 of the axle box 1 to make any desired spring snubbing effect.

According to the present invention, an oil damper as in the conventional technique is not required, the component parts are few in the structure and therefore the maintenance, inspection and assembly are easy.

What is claimed is:

1. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars comprising a friction surface provided on each upper side surface of a wing type axle box, an axle spring interposed between said axle box and a truck frame, a cap means mounted on the upper end of the axle spring between said upper end and said truck frame, an axle spring guide provided in the truck frame, mutually directly engaging means on said cap means and axle spring guide, respectively, for moving said cap means laterally toward a friction surface of said axle box when the axle spring is compressed and a laterally movable friction shoe means provided between said cap and said axle box friction surface. 3

2. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a first engaging means provided on the upper surface of said cap means and offset toward the side thereof away from said axle box and a second engaging means provided in said axle spring guide in a position corresponding to said first engaging means.

3. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 2 wherein said first engaging means is a bar-shaped projection of a semicircular cross-section provided in a position on the side opposite said friction surface from the center of the upper part of the cap means and said second engaging means is a concave part made on the inside surface of said axle spring guide in a position corresponding to said projection so that the center axis of said axle spring and the engaging part of said projection and concave are laterally displaced from each other.

4. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 3 wherein said projection is pivoted in said concave part with a pin.

5. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a first inclined surface provided in said cap means and a second inclined surface provided in said axle spring guiding means in a position corresponding to said first inclined surface.

6. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 5 wherein said first inclined surface is provided on each of a pair of projections provided on the outside surfaces on both sides of said cap means and said second inclined surface is provided in a position corresponding to said first inclined surface on the inside surface of said axle spring guide.

7. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 5 wherein said first inclined surface is provided on the upper surface of said cap means and said second inclined surface is provided in said axle spring guide so as to correspond to said first inclined surface.

8. An axle spring device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said friction shoe means comprises a back surface projection which can be slidably inserted in a bore made in the inside wall of said axle spring guide and a plate-shaped friction shoe integral with said projection.

9. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to the claim 8 wherein the length of the back surface projection of said friction shoe means is larger than the thickness of said inside wall.

10. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein a raised surface of said cap means, projected so as to be in contact with said friction shoe means, is provided on the side of said cap means nearest said axle box.

11. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 10 wherein said cap means is substantially in the form of a cylinder closed at one end and tapered at the other opened end. 

1. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars comprising a friction surface provided on each upper side surface of a wing type axle box, an axle spring interposed between said axle box and a truck frame, a cap means mounted on the upper end of the axle spring between said upper end and said truck frame, an axle spring guide provided in the truck frame, mutually directly engaging means on said cap means and axle spring guide, respectively, for moving said cap means laterally toward a friction surface of said axle box when the axle spring is compressed and a laterally movable friction shoe means provided between said cap and said axle box friction surface.
 2. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a first engaging means provided on the upper surface of said cap means and offset toward the side thereof away from said axle box and a second engaging means provided in said axle spring guide in a position corresponding to said first engaging means.
 3. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 2 wherein said first engaging means is a bar-shaped projection of a semicircular cross-section provided in a position on the side opposite said friction surface from the center of the upper part of the cap means and said second engaging means is a concave part made on the inside surface of said axle spring guide in a position corresponding to said projection so that the center axis of said axle spring and the engaging part of said projection and concave are laterally displaced from each other.
 4. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 3 wherein said projection is pivoted in said concave part with a pin.
 5. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said moving means comprises a first inclined surface provided in said cap means and a second inclined surface provided in said axle spring guiding means in a position corresponding to said first inclined surface.
 6. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 5 wherein said first inclined surface is provided on each of a pair of projections provided on the outside surfaces on both sides of said cap means and said second inclined surface is provided in a position corresponding to said first inclined surface on the inside surface of said axle spring guide.
 7. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 5 wherein said first inclined surface is provided on the upper surface of said cap means and said second inclined surface is provided in said axle spring guide so as to correspond to said first inclined surface.
 8. An axle spring device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein said friction shoe means comprises a back surface projection which can be slidably inserted in a bore made in the inside wall of said axle spring guide and a plate-shaped friction shoe integral with said projection.
 9. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to the claim 8 wherein the length of the back surface projection of said friction shoe means is larger than the thickness of said inside wall.
 10. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 1 wherein a raised surface of said cap means, projected so as to be in contact with said friction shoe means, is provided on The side of said cap means nearest said axle box.
 11. An axle spring snubbing device for railway cars according to claim 10 wherein said cap means is substantially in the form of a cylinder closed at one end and tapered at the other opened end. 